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Veterans groups aim to remain vital into the future with ties to Fort Bliss

By David Burge / El Paso Times

Posted:
11/11/2013 01:08:44 AM MST

Ysela Sanchez, sister of World War II veteran Angel Romero, and her neice Estella Zubia, share tears together at the dedication of a memorial in honor of Angel Romero by the Benavidez-Patterson "All-Airborne" Chapter on Saturday. (Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times)

Veterans groups know it can be a tough sell to get younger service members involved.

A common image of these groups is of a bunch of older guys hanging around a dingy clubhouse drinking beer, swapping war stories from a long-ago time.

"That's the image I had when I first returned from Vietnam," said former Marine Staff Sgt. Ismael Samaniego Jr., who is now the commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 393 in El Paso.

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David Burge

"You have to remember we (Vietnam vets) weren't exactly welcomed in most of the clubhouses," Samaniego said. "We heard stuff like, 'You lost the war.' That's why you started to see a lot of Vietnam veterans organizations start up."

Samaniego didn't start getting active with the Purple Heart organization until he was in his mid-50s, but he and other leaders of El Paso veterans groups are trying to reach out to younger veterans and active-duty service members at Fort Bliss to make sure their organizations stay vital into the future.

Fort Bliss, in turn, is also making efforts to have stronger ties to local veterans groups.

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Last year, Samaniego's Purple Heart group got 15 new members who have served in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. His senior vice commander is an active-duty major at Fort Bliss and he has a staff sergeant who is also active in the group.

The Purple Heart group tries to reach out to younger potential members by attending as many events at Fort Bliss as possible, being seen at community events like Fourth of July parades and keeping an eye out for potential members when they go to the Veterans Affairs clinic or other places in their day-to-day lives, Samaniego said.

A memorial was dedicated to World War II veteran Angel Romero on Saturday by the Benavidez-Patterson "All-Airborne" Chapter. (Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times)

"People want to join organizations where they have some camaraderie and a common bond," Samaniego said.

Pete Peral is a retired Army sergeant first class who is now president of the Special Forces Association, Chapter 9, and senior vice commander for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 812.

Peral said he is a prime example of someone who was once turned off by veterans groups when he was younger.

"You don't want to hang out with people 20 years older than you, but as I got older, I changed my thinking," he said.

The key to attracting younger members is to have activities that appeal to them, like having the NFL TV package at your clubhouse, Peral said.

Veterans organizations also need to promote the benefits of belonging. They provide friendship and a support network, are a great place to get involved in community projects and can serve as a lobbying arm through strength in numbers, Peral said.

"These organizations are all about giving back to the community and giving back to the troops," he said.

They can also provide a safe place for younger veterans to get support for any issues they may be dealing with in their lives.

"We will have a member go to the barracks and pick up single soldiers who don't have transportation, bring them to the (VFW) clubhouse so they can have a beer or a soda," Peral said. "We've had situations with troops who have PTSD come up here to talk to a Vietnam veteran when they didn't feel comfortable talking to a peer."

Fort Bliss Garrison Commander Col. Brant V. Dayley has strong ties to Fort Bliss and El Paso. His father was an air defender and was stationed here three times.

During his own career, Dayley is on his fourth tour at Fort Bliss.

When Dayley returned for his most recent assignment in May 2012, he found a veterans community that seemed disconnected from the post. When the Army's Air Defense Artillery School moved to Fort Sill, Okla., in 2009 and the 1st Armored Division moved its headquarters here from Germany in 2011, "decades of relationships evaporated," Dayley said.

"Older veterans didn't know who to go to (at the installation), and with the post's expansion they were getting lost on Fort Bliss and needed help," Dayley said.

A memorial was dedicated to World War II veteran Angel Romero on Saturday by the Benavidez-Patterson "All-Airborne" Chapter. (Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times)

So Dayley approached Fort Bliss' then commanding general Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, and told him he wanted to do regular outreach.

With Pittard's blessing and enthusiastic support, Dayley began having summit meetings every other month with veterans groups. The idea is to increase the interaction between veterans groups and the installation, Dayley said.

Veterans groups have a lot to offer younger soldiers, even though they may not realize it yet, Dayley said.

When he was younger and returned from the Gulf War in 1991, veterans groups like the VFW and the American Legion didn't have much appeal to him, Dayley admitted.

They were full of World War II veterans and Dayley couldn't relate at the time.

"But as you get older and maybe wiser, you start to see how these organizations are important to the community and have value in terms of camaraderie, friendship and support," Dayley said.

In particular, older veterans can help provide support to Fort Bliss soldiers and families who are dealing with things like post-traumatic stress or combat wounds, he said.

"They've been there," Dayley said.

One of the success stories coming out of the summits has been the creation of a Veterans Fusion Office at the Trading Post, 1717 Marshall Road, at Fort Bliss. Veterans groups volunteer their time and provide information on different resources and organizations that can be helpful to soldiers and their families at Fort Bliss, Dayley said.

"It's a win-win," he added.

The Benavidez-Patterson "All-Airborne" Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association is one of the most visible veterans organizations in El Paso. The group has 20 to 25 members who are in their 20s, said John Ceballos, a Vietnam era veteran who is a three-time past chairman of the airborne chapter.

"We have active-duty soldiers who are members of the chapter," Ceballos said. "We have three guys who are going to the (U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy)."

The chapter shows NFL and college games on the TVs at its clubhouse and it has set up Wi-Fi there too, in an effort to broaden the appeal of the organization, Ceballos said. They also go to Fort Bliss events looking to recruit airborne-qualified soldiers to become members, he added.

But the biggest selling point to potential members is giving back to the community through things like outreach programs at schools, Ceballos said.

"A lot of us who are involved are disabled veterans," Ceballos said. "If we weren't involved in an organization like this, we'd probably be home getting fat and not doing anything for ourselves or our community."

David Burge may be reached at 546-6126.

Northeast parade

•When: 10:30 a.m. today.

•When: Starts at Hondo Pass and Stahala streets and ends at Old Glory Memorial at Diana Drive and Gateway North.

•Ceremony: Veterans will be honored after the parade at Old Glory Memorial. Refreshments will also be served.

•Grand marshal: John Mimbela, long-time supporter of Old Glory Memorial.

•Information: Jimmy Melver, 549-5031.

College veterans celebration

•International Business College will have a Veterans Day celebration at 11 a.m. today at its West Side campus, 5700 Cromo.

•The Vietnam Veterans of America will dedicate a POW flag to be displayed at the campus and will set up a POW/MIA table. Wounded soldiers from the Fort Bliss Warrior Transition Battalion will be special guests.